The best value in digital Bible study. Our lives for your lives! the men assured her. he implied that faith without works is meaningless and vice versa. Phillip J. "Rahab is quite remarkable. One motivates the other. His dissertation was published as Jesus the Bridegroom by Pickwick Books in 2012. Rahab had heard of the God of Israel and acted in faith. What happened to Rahab from the Bible? When the city of Jericho was being taken, Rahab and her family were rescued and led out to a place outside of the camp. Rahab later became the wife of Salmon, the great-great-grandmother of King David, and an ancestor of Jesus Christ. For James, Rahab may be a better example for his point since she demonstrated her faith by hiding the spies before she expressed her faith in the God of Israel. The Hebrew word Zoonah is used, which means harlot. All rights reserved. She knew the politics of her town, the region and terrain, and the king. Are there not many more characters to choose from? As the climax of the faith vs. works discussion, James says faith without works is dead (v. 26), just like the people of Jericho! Her reception of the spies, the artifice by which she concealed them from the king: their escape, and the saving of Rahab and her family at the capture of the city in accordance with their promise, are fold in the narrative of ( Joshua 2:1 ) As regards Rahab herself, she probably repented, and we learn from ( Matthew 1:5 ) that she became the wife of Salmon the son of Naasson, and the mother of Boaz, Jesses grandfather. People should know your faith by what fruit one produces. We have therefore created a library of almost one thousand (and growing) inductive Bible studies, which are available for free. Wake up! Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/rahab-the-prostitute-701175. What Does Rahab Mean? Bible Definition and References Practical applications designed for life change. Obviously we would have probably heard more from James if this was the case, but since we only have this letter to read I would suggest starting in chapter 2. Since November 2021, Reading Acts is edited by Sarah Westphal. God has a history through the Bible of using imperfect people to impact the world. Do what you did for our people long ago. he told the people where he was teaching what now to do. She earned a mention in the Faith Hall of Fame (Hebrews 11:31). Maybe because Abraham is talked about a lot in earlier portions of Scripture, the author wanted to use a different example this time. The Book of Joshua in the Old Testament says that the Israelite spies lodged in the home of Rahab, who in the original Hebrew text is identified as a zonah or prostitute. In the Old Testament, when Moses died, the Lord chose Joshua as the new leader of the Israelites, who were commanded to take possession of the promised land of Canaan. What is the Armor of God and How Can We Put it On Daily? Thereupon she let them down by a cord through the window, her house being built upon the town wall, and gave them directions to make good their escape (Joshua 2:1-24). From my perspective and understanding, I feel that Paul views salvation as a result of ones faith. James writes to Jews who have accepted Jesus as Messiah, fulfilling something they have been anticipating for generations, who have likely lived their whole lives in action-based worship/obedience to YHWH. What do you think about this? Some of the thoughts I have as to why James may have chose to list Rahab as a righteous figure may be her redemption story from prostitute to savior, a desire to incorporate a male and female example, and also that Rahab could have been a well known figure in the Jewish community because of the weight of her actions on the nation of Israel. If we had either Paul or James only, I do not think that our faith would look all that different. Rahab is one of only four women named in the genealogy, the others being Tamar (wife of Judah), Ruth (who married Rahab's son Boaz), and Mary, the mother of This passage is one that I have also simply breezed over without truly thinking about why, of all people, the author chose Rahab. However, less well known is "The fact that Rahab is mentioned in the genealogy in Matthew makes her an exemplary figure despite her not-so-exemplary profession," says Tervanotko. These people would have had very different views on these two people. Character Studies E-book If you found these character studies helpful, get ourCharacter Studies E-book, with 8 practical lessons on important Bible heroes of the faith. The action of Rahab hanging a scarlet cord in her window, can be seen as a messianic message, as it directly relates to the color of Christ blood, and how it covers the sins of men and women. 1. Joshua 2:8-14. By her bravery and faith in God, she helped Israel to enlarge as they inherited the Promised Land. This lifestyle is never necessary either. What do we know about Rahab, who played such a pivotal role in the fall of Jericho? For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). Rahab was the prostitute from Jericho who saved the Israelite spies from being caught by the authorities of Jericho. Rahab owned a house, built on the outer walls of Jericho. Article URL: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/change/faith/women-of-faith/rahab-the-harlot/. James it seems is trying to say the well known actions speak louder than words, telling people about Jesus is nice and all, but if you cant back it up it was useless, and may have the opposite fact of what was intended. Rahab, the Harlot WebLORD is in their midst. Read about more amazing women of the Bible: Kingdom Bloggers is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associate Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Rahab: A Past and a Future Related Media Time: Into the Land ~1400 B.C. People assume that Jericho's ancient walls were erected to keep out enemy armies, but there are other theories for how the walls functioned, including as a bulwark against periodic floods that washed sediment down from the surrounding highlands. I do not see so much of a contradiction, but as emilycrossite mentions they are complementary of each other. I cannot see how you can have one without the other. That being said, Moore claims that James exemplifies Rahab because of her combination of faith and action. Rahab was a prostitute. Her knowledge of the Lord was united with faith while the rest of the people in Jericho hardened their hearts and made up their minds to stubbornly resist until the last. If any of them go outside your house into the street, their blood will be on their own heads; we will not be responsible. And through this line, the whole world was impacted. Character Study E-book Study Guide Once saved, and though not saved by our works, part of our Christian walk is to do good works. She had a reputation no woman would ever want: she was a harlot, a prostitute. Read about other examples of faith in our Women of Faith section. Her story appealed strongly to the imagination of the people of later times. As 1 Corinthians 6 shows, this life is incompatible with a life following after God. Rahab lowers the spies from her house in Jerichos walls (Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld, 1860 woodcut). Joseph It should not be surprising that she was a prostitute. It seems obvious why James had chosen Abraham because he was a hero of faith and revered in the Jewish culture for his great faith in God. An interesting parallel that I found from this James 2 are the stories in Matthew 15. James used Rahab as an example of how a character can be transformed by a living faith that yields works (James 2:25). Rebekah But if we only had James to construct Christian theology, how different from Pauline Theology would our view of salvation be? As a reaction to Jesus teaching perhaps some Jews believed they could simply accept Christ as their savior and continue to live in their old lives, simply doing works for the glory of themselves or simply not doing works at all. Joshua 2 NIV - Rahab and the Spies - Then Joshua son - Bible Excerpted from Derrick G. Jeter, Rahab: Demonstrating Courageous Faith, in The Wise and the Wild: 30 Devotions on Women of the Bible (Plano, Tex. Atmosphere of Victory | 28th June, 2023 - Facebook The Bible lists Rahab the harlot as an ancestor of Jesus Christ. God does not judge as we humans judgeoutwardly, using the external standards of appearance, behavior, race and national origin. Isaac There is some speculation that she might have been an innkeeper instead because the consonants are the same for both occupations: "znh." WebThe Promise to Rahab 10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites across the Jordan, whom you devoted to destruction. Not only was she a courageous woman of faith willing to risk her life to hide these spies she was willing to put her life on the line to save her family. WebRahab, or Rachab ( wide ), a celebrated woman of Jericho who received the spies sent by Joshua to spy out the land, hid them in her house from the pursuit of her countrymen, Of course, one who is held is such high regard is an excellent example to use, but then he chooses Rahab. They could have very easily been writing from different perspectives of references (Jobes, 2011, pg. But both proved their faith through their actions. Salmon is not mentioned in the Old Testament its only in the New Testament when Luke and Matthew present the ancestor of Christ do, we discover what happened to Rahab, and who she ended up marrying. Rahab feared God more than the power of an earthly king, she knew that this city had already been given over to the Israelites and it was only a matter of time before it fell. Shalom. Yet this Canaanite "woman of ill-repute" demonstrated so much faith in the God of Israel that she and her family were the only citizens of Jericho spared by Joshua's army when the city was razed to the ground. Jesus once said to the woman caught in adultery, Go and sin no more (John 8:11). Who was Rahab? Their new life with the Jews gave them a chance to know about God and for their lives to be transformed as Rahabs was. When the king of Jericho asked Rahab about the spies, she told him they had already left, but that the king's men could catch them outside the city if they hurried. Some wonder if the story of Rahab somehow justifies prostitution or lying. The argument between whether James and Paul contradict each other is a very old one. Rahab recognized the true God and took him for her own. The people of Jericho were terrified because they had heard of all the miraculous things God had done for His people after their escape from Egypt. Concern for her family (shows a kind and compassionate heart) Rahab helped the spies and could have asked for a lot of things in return. Lot Rahab was shrewd and hid the Israelite spies on her roof, and then telling them to hide in the hills before returning to Joshua. King David's mother Bathsheba isn't mentioned by name but referred to as "the wife of Uriah.". Rahab is a wonderful example that we should be courageous and faithful to our God even when the price is high. It was probably general known that she came out of prostitution, yet Salmon married her anyway. Rahab, as a name of Egypt, occurs once only without reference to the exodus: this is in ( Psalms 87:4 ) In ( Isaiah 30:7 ) the name is alluded to. She is referred to as a righteous Canaanite (Josh. Go, look over the land, he said, especially Jericho. So they went and entered the house of God loves us and redeems us anyway. (NIV). Unless we think we are better than her, see Matthew 5:27-28. His most recent book is The Book of Enoch for Beginners: A Guide to Expand Your Understanding of the Biblical World (Rockridge, 2022). Joshua secretly sent two spies to scout out the fortified city of Jericho. I initially thought that the post would be questioning the integrity and courageous nature of Rahabs actions as the woman who helped the Israelites gain victory in Joshua 6. Jacob Here are a few verses on this issue. I think James could of used Rahab due to the fact she put her faith into works. But her request was that her entire family could be spared. Rahab and her family were spared and she went on to live in Israel "to this day. Rahab was one of those unexpected characters in the Bible. Jesus said, Wisdom is justified by her children (Matthew 11:19). WebWho was Rahab in the Bible? As followers of Jesus, we are called to more than just believing. Did she betray her people? And Paul never said that good works were bad, or that Christians should never do good works. This active faith in God is what saved Rahab and her family.Now therefore, I beg you, swear to me by the LORD, since I have shown you kindness, that you also will show kindness to my fathers house, and give me a true token, and spare my father, my mother, my brothers, my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death (verses 12-13). Rahab believed that Yahweh was stronger, and demonstrated that by hiding the spies from Israel. Im reminded of the time God placed Moses in the cleft of the rock and covered him with His hand, God covered Rahab in the Bible with His hand and protected her. Barnabas A pagan place like Jericho would surely have many. This is very important to consider and should not be ignored. Was it sinful for Rahab to lie? Sarah Her showing her faith through what she did and not just saying she believes is what I think is one of the reason James uses her. ", Rahab is also invoked in the Book of James as a model of faith coupled with action. Her sinful past makes her faith in God and subsequent life transformation even more amazing. I think it would be unfortunate as it would miss out on the other aspects of faith like belief and acceptance of Jesus free gist on the cross. In my opinion they are complimentary of each other. The one who does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire even if they say they are all good because of their Jewish heritage (Matt. Resources Lockyer's All the Women of the Bible Chapter 2. This post may contain affiliate links. April 28, 2011 by Derrick G. Jeter She had a reputation no woman would ever want: she was a harlot, a prostitute. The notes in the NKJV Study Bible speculate that it is possible that Rahab had been reduced to prostitution by the death of her husband and by the needs of her impoverished family. They also explain that a house that was part of the defensive walls of the city would be a humble dwelling, just the spot for a poor prostitute.. If one has faith they show it through their works. She could have asked for a new home, or money, horses, and a wagon (so that she could go wherever she wanted.) Rahab ran an inn built on the Jericho city wall where she hid the spies on her rooftop. What should we make of Rahab This points to works based on her faith that shows Rahab believes in Yahweh and therefore wants to gain in the favor of Yahweh by helping out his people. Jericho reached its peak as a walled settlement between 8,000 B.C.E. The problem is that the things that do seem to contradict themselves are usually taken out of context. The world may look and bleak at times, but ultimately all of Gods prophecies will come true and He will finally judge all people who do not obey His Word. This means that her prostitution was a major aspect of her life. She believed because of what she heard. But Rahab was known as a prostitute in Jewish-Christian literature (Hebrews 11:31, James 2:25), yet she was still known as the righteous Canaanite who lived in the pagan city of Jericho. Rahab had heard the stories of what the God of Israelites had done, something in her heart had shifted so that when the Israelite spies arrived, she declares I know that the Lord has given you this land. It is still a very interesting use of a seemingly small person in the Old Testament and yet would be well known by Jewish Christians and also is a good example of faith and works. In addition, Rahab was the mother of Boazby Salmon (Matthew 1:5). And it shall be, when the Lord has given us the land, that (U)we will deal kindly and truly with you., 15Then she (V)let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall; she dwelt on the wall. Why did the spies go there? If so, was she wrong or right to do this? Rahab learned that following him will change your life forever. In Joshua 2 Rahab is presented as an example of a righteous Canaanite. This is remarkable since she is introduced as a , a prostitute and she betrays her own city to the enemy by lying to the authorities. Go, look over the land, he said, especially Jericho. So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there. In all three cases Rahab is a paradigm of faith because she acted on behalf of the spies. She knew that if she got caught, she would lose her life. He and his wife, Christy, have five children and live in the Dallas area. True to their promise, the Israelites under Joshua spared Rahab and her family (Joshua 6:16 the King James Version); "And," says the author of Josh, "she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day." Those who are namedTamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Marymight be considered sexually promiscuous because of lifestyle, nationality, or unexplained pregnancy. Both Paul and James say that a person is saved by faith and that their faith should be evident through the good works they do. Start for FREE. How I have always understood it, is that Pauls address of justification by faith not works speaks to those who have just converted or are surrounded by converts. What are applications we can make from this? Then she let them down by a rope out of her window (her house was on the city wall). Her house was apparently part of the wall. Later, when Joshua and the army appeared and attacked the city, only Rahab and her family survived. At the same time one needs faith in order to truly do the work. To believe what we have heard about but havent seen, we must have faith. The blog post mentions this tendency of ours as Christians and Bible Students, and I completely agree. Zavada, Jack. Rahab recognized the foreign spies immediately, but instead of turning them over to the authorities, she hid them on her roof underneath sheaves of flax. Derrick G. Jeter holds a master of theology degree from Dallas Theological Seminary and served as a writer for the Creative Ministries Department of Insight for Living Ministries.
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